Starter gearing



Patented July 5, 1949 UNil T STAT ES PATEN T F Fl CE STARTER GEARING Samuel Ysskin, Newark, N. J. Application November 15, 1944, Serial No. 563,534

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in Starting devices, such as are used in the starting of internal combustion engines in automobiles.

Such starting devices are customarily keyed to the armature of the starting motor and their construction is such that a pinion which is normally disengaged from the flywheel of the internal "combustion" engine will'be' engaged with said flywheel when the starting motor is energized.

Heretofore it has, been found that such starting motors frequently become severely damaged and break in service.

It is the object of my invention to provide a starting device of the class described which is of such construction as'to obviate the danger of injury to the parts thereof when subjected to normal operating conditions or when subjected to severe overloading.

A' further object of my invention is to provide a starting devicewhich isso designed as to be rugged and efficient in operation so as to assure the functioning thereof without danger of breaking down in service.

An embodiment of a structure employing my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the ensuing specification. This embodiment is merely by way of eX- ample and my'invention is not limited thereto but includes all other forms which would come within the scope of the appended-claims. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a starting device embodying my invention, with the pinion thereof shown in its normal inoperative location,

Fig. 2 is a similar view partly broken, showing therelative juxtaposition of the parts on actuation' thereof, with'the pinion shifted into operati ve position,

'Fig. 3 is an elevational, partly fragmentary view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is avertical, longitudinalsectional view taken on line '44 of Fig. '3, in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cam member employed in carrying out my invention.

Referring to thedrawings, in Fig. 4, the starting device of my'invention, is shown to comprise a tube In on which thepinion' H is slidably arranged,said pinion being keyed to or formed integral with-the collar member l2, the outer end of which is provided with recesses l3 for'the reception of radial arms3l of. Web 30 having recesses 32 (see Figs. 1 and 3) to slidably receive the spline lugs l4 depending'from cam member I5, A cushion ring l'eis positioned in collar l2, being interposed therein between the end .19 of the cam and the seat 11 of the collar l2. Washers 18, I811 are preferably interposed between the cushion member'l'fi,"and collar seat l1, and the 2 splined end R9 of caml5 (see Figs. 2 and 3) the parts being normally maintained against displacement withinthe collar member i2 by snap ring '21) disposed within an internal recess adjacent the open end of the collar member 12, washer lsb'being positioned in the'collar member -l2 adjacent s'napring ifl, against the spider 3c and the forward edge of the spline lugs 14, toprevent the parts from moving out of the open face of the collar I2; at the same time, the spline lugs, on movementof the cam member l5 from which they depend toward the seat ll of the collar, may freely move in the recesses 32. in spider 35 (see Figs. 2 and 3) to compress the cushion member [6 against said seat.

The tube Ell ispreferably'provided at the end nearest the pinion with a head or stop member 2! which may be formed integral therewith or may be a separate member secured theretoin any desired or convenient manner, said stop member 2l beingprovided with an internal circumferential recess 22 for reception of one end of a spring 23, the opposite end of said spring bearing against the pinion i] to normally urge the latter away from said head 2! and out of the vertical plane of the engine flywheel. The driving cam member 24 is fixed to the tube Ii] in any suitable manner, such as'by'b'olt 29 passing through said cam member and tube and projecting through an aperture in the tube for reception in a recess'in the armature shaft. S. received in said tube Hi. The tubelii is preferably provided with a keyway 33 at the end remote from member 2! for reception ofa key on the armature shaft (see Fig. 3). The'cam members l5 and 24 are provided with cam surfaces 25 and 26, respectively, the ends of the respective cam surfaces being connected by fiat shoulder portions 21 and 23 respectively, see Figs. 5 and 2.

In operation, the device is assembled as shown in Fig. l, with the tube ill keyed to the armature of the starting-motor in any convenient or desired manner. The pinion H, collar member l2 andsplined cam member [5 are normally urged to the position shown-,inFigs. 1 and 4 wherein the pinion is not engaged with the motor flywheel, by the spring 23.

When the starting motor is energized, the rotation of the starting motor armature whips the tube Ill into rotation therewith. The sudden whip action causes the cam surfaces of the cam member 24 to engage the cam surfaces of the cam member l5, causing the latter to slide or shift on the sleeve [0 into recesses 32-of the spider-3E3 and, through the medium of cushion member I6 which is thereby compressed, shifting the collar member l2 (and thereby the pinion l I) into the operative position of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

The cushion .member I6 is of such characteris ties that in the normal operation of the parts, in order to shift the pinion II for engagement with the flywheel, the cam member l5 (and its spline lugs l4 and washers) will in moving from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, compress member I6 partially (the cam surfaces 26 and 25 being only partially engaged in said operation, see Fig. 2).

When the parts are in the operative position shown in Fig. 2 the pinion ll abuts the stop member 2| which precludes further lateral displacement of the pinion and collar.

In the event that the parts are subjected to the operation of unusual force the only effect would be to cause the cam surfaces 25, 26 to slide past the ledge portions 21, 28 thereof so that the parts would return to the position shown in Fig. 1; the member t6, when subjected to unusual pressure, compresses further than shown in Fig. 2 to permit the full rotative movement of the cam surfaces past the ledge portions thereof, as described.

It will be apparent, from an inspection of Fig. 4, that the cushion ring l6, which may be made of rubber or other yieldable material, and which is interposed between the splined end of the cam l5 and the seat I? of the collar l2, assures the smooth and positive operation of the parts, urging the collar member 12 and its pinion II laterally against the tension of the spring 23, which is compressed into the recess 22 as shown in Fig. 2. The parts will be returned to their inoperative position shown in Fig. l, responsive to the rotation of the flywheel, when the engine with which said flywheel is associated has started, in a manner apparent to those skilled in this art.

While I have shown and described the cushioning member I 6 as being preferably a rubber ring, it will be apparent that other resilient means, equivalent thereto, may be substituted therefor within the scope of this invention; the terms cushioning ring or cushioning member wherever used in this specification and claims shall be deemed to include such equivalents.

While I have shown and described the cam members 24 and provided with generally arcuate cam faces 25 and with shoulder portions 21 and 28 defining the ends of said cam faces, any other cam means may be substituted therefor in carrying out my invention Within the scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A mechanism for actuating a starter pinion fixed to a collar into mesh with an engine flywheel on actuation of the starter motor, said mechanism comprising a Web member, complementary means on said web member and. collar to position the web member in the collar, a cushion ring positioned in the collar, a cam member, complementary means on the cam member and web member to slidably spline said cam member in the web member, and a second cam member adapted on actuation of the starter motor to have camming engagement with the first mentioned cam member to slide the latter in the web against the cushion member, to compress the latter against the collar, shifting the collar to move the pinion fixed thereto into mesh with the engine flywheel.

2. A mechanism for actuating a starter pinion fixed to a collar into mesh with an engine flywheel on actuation of the starter motor, said mechanism comprising a web member, means to position the web member in the collar, a cushion ring positioned in the collar, a member, spline lugs on said member, said web member being provided with means to slidably receive said splined member in the web member, and a second member adapted 0n actuation of the starter motor to engage the first mentioned member to slide the latter in the Web against the cushion member, to compress the latter against the collar, shifing the collar to move the pinion fixed thereto ino mesh with the engine flywheel.

3. A mechanism for actuating a starter pinion fixed to a collar into mesh with an engine flywheel on actuation of the starter motor, said mechanism comprising a web member provided with radial arms, said collar having recesses to receive said arms to position the web member in the collar, a cushion ring positioned in the collar, a cam member, spline lugs on said cam member, said web member having recesses to slidably receive the spline lugs of said cam member, and a second cam member adapted on actuation of the starter motor to have camming engagement with the first mentioned cam member to slide the latter in the web against the cushion member, to compress the latter against the collar, shifting the collar to move the pinion fixed thereto into mesh with the engine flywheel.

4. A mechanism for actuating a starter pinion fixed to a collar into mesh with an engine flywheel on actuation of the starter motor, said mechanism comprising a web member, means to position the web member in the collar, means positioned in the collar between the web member and collar, said web member having splining means, and complementary separable means driven by the starter motor shaft, one of said complementary means engaging said web member splining means and adapted, on actuation of the starter motor, to be at least partially separated from the other complementary means and moved in said web member against the means in the collar, shifting the collar to move the pinion fixed thereto into mesh with the engine flywheel.

5. A mechanism for actuating a starter pinion fixed to a collar into mesh with an engine flywheel on actuation of the starter motor, said mechanism comprising a web member, means to position the web member in the collar, 2. compressible thrust ring positioned in the collar, said web member having splining means, and complementary separable means driven by the starter motor armature shaft, one of said complementary means engaging said web member splining means and adapted, on actuation of the starter motor, to be at least partially separated from the other complementary means and moved in said web member against the thrust ring to compress the latter against the collar, Shitfing the collar to move the pinion fixed thereto into mesh with the engine flywheel.

SAMUEL YSSKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen'ces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,881,053 Howard Oct. 4, 1932 1,901,996 Taylor Mar. 21, 1933 2,042,248 Charter et al May 26, 1936 2,047,123 Charter July '7, 1936 2,061,161 Lansing Nov. 17, 1936 

